Answer, Please
by live0laugh0love0
Summary: What if Aria would have answered Ezra's phone call that say in Philly? How would have things changed? Here's how I would have liked the situation to pan out.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone!

Here's a quick version of how Iwanted the last episode to go. Enjoy!

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Aria's POV

Shock. The only thing I could register was that I was standing in a back ally in Philly, his name was lit up on my phone screen, and I was in pure and utter shock. I breathed out realizing I had inhaled and never let it out.

My fingers grazed over the ACCEPT and DECLINE buttons not knowing what to do. Ezra was calling me for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

There was no doubt I loved Ezra. If there was such thing as soul mates, he was mine. Ezra made me feel safe. he was always there to catch me when I fell. But sometimes things don't end in happily ever after. Jake was so sweet and practical. I could go out in public with him without stares from those around, and that's important.

Before I could stop myself, I pushed the button. "Hello?" My voice was small and shaky.

"I need you, Aria." The voice on the other end was distraught. I had never heard him like this. I could only imagine him crumpled in a ball in his apartment and that killed me.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" I started to panic. He was obviously hurt, but why?

He sniffed and paused, " I just really need to see you, please."

The desperate tone of his voice broke my heart. No matter how much time we spent apart, I could never leave him like this.

I quickly told Jake there was an emergency at home and caught the next train back to Rosewood. The ride went on forever. I kept coming up with the worst possible scenarios as to what could be wrong with Ezra.

3rd person POV

Finally, as the sun was setting, Aria tiptoed up to Ezra's door. She didn't know if she should knock or if she should just walk in. She took a deep breath, "You can do this." It was her turn to be strong. She raised her hand to the door making a small sound.

She heard footsteps and saw a shadow under the door coming closer. When Ezra opened the door, she wasn't prepared for what she saw. His face was tear stained and his eyes were glassy. His shoulders hung low and a lock of hair hung over his right eye. He looked just as he had when he left to meet Malcolm in the first place.

"Hey." Ezra said defeatedly as he turned around and walked toward the window.

Aria walked in and sat down on the couch facing the window and Ezra. It was quiet for a long time.

The silence was broken when Ezra started to speak. "He, he's not mine."

"What?" Aria's eyes bugged as she processed what he had just said.

"Maggie lied to me. Malcolm was never mine." Ezra ran a hand through his hair and put his hands on his hips looking out the window, as if contemplating something.

Aria stuttered, "I'm so sorry, I don't know what to say."

Ezra began to speak again. "I loved him. I took him to karate. I knew every train and station. I would tuck him in at night. He was mine and I was his... But it was all a lie." There was a pause. "My biggest problem with this whole thing is, I gave up the woman I truly love for someone who isn't even mine. Aria you mean more to me than you'll ever know, and it kills me everyday to not have you here with me. I'm so sorry." Ezra broke down then, still looking out the window.

Slowly and hesitantly, Aria walked over to Ezra and stood in front of him. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt him tense and then burry his head in her neck. "It's okay, everything's going to be alright." Aria never pictured Ezra like this. He was the strong one in the relationship. She never pictured him so helpless. She took his head in her hands and looked him in the eyes. "I love you, Ezra."

"You don't know how glad I am to hear you say that." Ezra pushed his lips to Aria's and held her close. Aria wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into the long awaited kiss.

She led him to the couch and they curled up together. She had to be the protective one tonight. Aria was the only one who could make it better.

Ezra had his head on her chest and she was stroking his hair. The TV was on mute. As the minutes ticked on and the stars continued to twinkle, the two fell asleep in each others arms and all was right.

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Tell me what you think!

Xoxo


	2. Chapter 2

Hey everyone!

Against my better judgment, I'm going to continue writing this story. There's not a whole lot that can stem from this plot, but I like where it's going, so lets just see what happens!

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Ezra's POV

I woke up in a daze. It was barely morning as the sun was still purple and the sky was grey. There was a thick fog hanging in the air. I fluttered my eye lids, closed them, and took a long, deep breath. Then, suddenly, reality hit me. I looked around and saw that I was on my couch, my head was resting on Aria's chest. Her arms were wrapped around me and her head was on the hand rest. There was something so comforting about how we were, it made the pain go away.

In one swift motion, I pushed myself up and switched our positions so she was now resting on my chest and I had her wrapped in my arms. Aria stirred and burrowed deeper into my shirt.

I watched out the window as the sun rose and the birds began to chirp. I let Aria sleep peacefully enjoying and making up for lost time. I knew she hadn't broken things off with Jake, and I didn't know if she would. But they way we were felt so right, and I wanted this to be forever.

"Good morning." A small tired voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked down and met Aria's gaze. She gave me a smirk and snuggled into me for a moment longer before getting up and walking into the bathroom.

I had to think of something to say to her. I knew I had been a mess last night, and Aria had been there for me even when there was someone else and when I had chosen Malcolm over her. I had to win her back somehow. Aria and I were meant to be together. There was no denying that what we had was something unique. From the first time we met in that dirty college bar, Aria stood out to me. When I walked into my classroom and saw all those students, Aria stood out to me. And when I was so wrapped up with having Malcolm in my life, Aria should have stood out to me. There was no doubt in my mind I had made a mistake. This was my last chance.

"How are you?" Aria came back from the bathroom. I could tell she was walking on eggshells. She had seen me at a very low point last night, and after my episode and then settling into the couch, I had fallen asleep absolutely exhausted.

"I'm okay, I think. It's going to take some time for me to accept, but I'll be okay." I looked at her dead in the eye. "Are we okay?"

Aria stuck her tongue in her cheek, and looked around the small space. "I have to talk to Jake. Ezra, I want to be with you, I just don't want things to end up the way they did last time. I don't want anything to come between us." She looked at me half hurt, half relieved.

"Please, take your time, as long as I get you back. I need you in my life." I was so desperate to half my little cooky Aria back in my arms for good.

"I'll see you soon." Aria walked over, kissed me on the cheek, and left my apartment giving each of us time to think things over.

Aria's POV

I left Ezra's apartment after coming to the realization that I had left Jake high and dry without any explanation. I checked my phone and saw that he had tried contacting me multiple times.

Although last night had felt so real, and so right, Jake had accepted me and my past, and had nothing in his past that might break us apart. I was happy with Jake, but was I happier with Ezra?

Just then, my phone started ringing. Jake's name flashed on the screen. I answered after the second ring. "Hello?"

"Aria? Where the hell have you been? I've been calling and texting you all night! Are you okay?"

"Jake, Jake, I'm fine. I got caught up with something. I actually really need to talk to you. It's important." I brushed my hair out of my face and continued walking down the street. " can I meet you at The Brew?"

With annoyance in his voice, he answered, "Yeah, I'll be there in fifteen minutes." He hung up after that. I could tell this wasn't going to be easy. But I had to do what I knew was right, not only for me but for Jake and Ezra too.

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Let me know what you think!

xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's chapter 3! Sorry for the wait! **

**Enjoy!**

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Aria's POV

I was only a minute walk from where I was meeting Jake. That, unfortunately, gave me too much time to think about what I was going to say. How would he react? Would he be angry? Or sad? I hated the thought of hurting someone I cared about. Even if I was choosing Ezra over Jake, I'd always care for him.

I sat at an empty table facing toward the street. I ruffled my skirt and then smoothed it. Then I ruffled it again and smoothed it. My soy latte was gone before I even tasted it, and I ordered another without realizing it. My mind was in a million different places. Time seemed to be moving at a snails pace. I needed to get this over with before I lost my nerve.

As if on cue, Jake came around the corner, and he did not look happy. I gave him a half smile and a little wave.

"Are you insane? What the hell were you thinking? I called your phone at least 20 times last night. Do you care to explain yourself?" Jake's voice was so hostile. He waved his arms in the air and looked me dead in the eye. Yep, he was angry.

I took a step back. I had never seen him so mean before. "I'm sorry, Jake. I-"

"Sorry's not going to cut it." He reached over and grabbed my arm.

I flinched backwards and twisted out of his grasp. "Woah woah woah, you cannot manhandle me like that, I'm not some puppet. Ezra would never-"

He cut me off again. "Oh, is that what all of this is about?" His voice was growing louder, "Is that who you were with last night, Aria? Is that why you ran out on me and left me with no way to contact you? What were you doing? Getting it on with Mr. Fitz?"

"Okay, that's enough! Ezra needed me last night. He's going through some rough stuff, and I couldn't just leave him. But more importantly, you need to watch your tone with me." I waved my finger at him and started again before he could, "There's no way I can be with someone who's going to treat me that way.

"This was your plan all along, wasn't it? I was just some prop, a fill in, until you two got back together." Jake looked at me with an expression of hurt and anger.

"Jake, it's not like that. You know I... Like you. I just, I, me." I could feel the tears coming to my eyes. I took a deep breath looking down at my feet the whole time. "Ezra and I have a really long history. This is not something I planned to do but sometimes things just happen. It wouldn't be fair to you if I was thinking of someone else, because you deserve the best, and that's why I think we should see other people." I shut my eyes tight and waited for what was coming.

I waited, but nothing came. I opened my eyes to see Jake standing facing the other direction. His hand was on the back of his head.

"Jake."

"This isn't over, I'm not getting screwed over by an English teacher from Hollis. Just you wait." Jake turned towards me and pointed a finger at my chest. He raised an eyebrow. We stared at each other for a millennium. "Tell Fitz to watch his back. Goodbye Aria." With that, Jake turned and half walked half ran down the street in the opposite direction that he had come.

Once I could no longer see him, and the paralyzing fear thawed from my fingers, I broke down right there in front of The Brew. I hadn't intended for that to be so sour. And now, Jake was threatening to hurt Ezra. I knew it wouldn't have been easy, but now I had something ten times more serious to deal with. Jake knew how to knock someone out with one punch. I had to make sure that didn't happen.

Before I could do anything, I sat back down at my table and tried to steady my hands. I took a sip of my cold latte and counted the cars driving by to try and calm my breathing. Situations like these did not help with my anxiety.

I tucked my hair behind my ears and stood. I stopped after two steps. Where was I going? Should I go warm Ezra about Jake's threat? Or would it be too soon? And was Jake even serious about it? Before I could make up my mind, my feet were taking me back the way I came. I was going back to 3B.

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**Leave a review and let me know what you think!**

**xoxo**


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